“In Amsterdam people are the happiest in the world, They all live in beautiful palaces on the canals,” I once heard a tourist say, “Can you imagine going to your work every day by bike, and having a boat on the water to enjoy whenever you want to? Aren’t they lucky!” Well, do you want to know a little secret? That is not entirely true. Amsterdammers are indeed very happy people. And they are fond of cycling, that’s true. Many of them also have a boat, though most are very small.
But they do not live in big palaces. With so many people wanting to live in the city, rents are high. Most people are only able to afford a small apartment the size of your bedroom at home. A lot of houses on the canals are divided into separate rooms, that are so small they are called postzegels (postage stamps).
Just look at the number of bells at the doors to know how many people live at one single address.
